5 BIG Reasons To Switch from Android To iPhone

I must be going through a mid-life crisis. I've had an Android phone for over 10 years. And then I switched to the iPhone. And, while I really did enjoy it, I missed some things in the Android ecosystem – and so I went back. Big mistake! Once I experienced what the iPhone could do and how it made my day easier, I quickly got discouraged with Android. So, I did the unthinkable – I switched teams and went back to the iPhone again – this time for good. There are 5 main reasons why I switched back to the iPhone. If you are searching for answers, I think you'll find some of my reasons unique. Hopefully, some of this will help you decide if an iPhone is right for you.

Do I love Apple?

Let me be clear. This is not a rah-rah iPhone review. To prove this, I own a:

Windows 10 desktop

Two of my computers. Credit Joe-Cannon.com

Windows 7 laptop (I LOVE Windows 7!)

Windows Surface tablet

Kindle

Yes, I own an iPad too, but I only use it for watching Youtube. When I go on business trips or if I have a lunch meeting at Panera Bread, I use use the Microsoft Surface tablet. This is because, at the end of the day, I think like Windows and Android.

That said, this windows guy will be sticking withthe iPhone for good (unless Apple screws it up then all bets are off).

And, here are my 5 reasons why…

5 Reasons To Switch From Android To iPhone

OK, so here are my big 5 reasons for moving to the iPhone from Android. If you are on the fence and don't know which to buy, consider these reasons. For me, they are huge.

Siri Rocks!

Siri is the voice assistant that comes with all Apple devices. I've read statistics that say most iPhone users do not use Siri regularly. That's crazy! Why wouldn't they? I use Siri every day – and many times every day. Why? It makes my life easier. Here's what Siri can do for you

Read your text messages

Let you respond to text messages

Send emails

You don't even have to touch the phone to do this!

We all know to text while driving is bad. With Siri, you don't have to look at your phone to see text messages. I have had entire conversations – via text message – while driving and I do not touch the phone or look at it. Siri does all the work!

Siri not only reads the text messages to me – and pronounces pretty much every word perfectly – she also gives me the opportunity to speak my reply and send it all WITHOUT touching the phone. Android will not do this -at least not the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 I had. I've shown this to Android owners and they are shocked at how easy it is to use.

I have no idea why Google/Android cannot do this? If you have an iPhone and have not used Siri, try it today. Just say “Hey Siri” and she will wake up and do your bidding.

Voice Recognition

Apple eats the lunch of Android when it comes to voice recognition. Apple not only eats Android's lunch, it steals it's lunch money too! When I say “Hey Siri read the text message,” the voice recognition is 99% flawless. And when I speak to Siri to send a reply to a text message, it is often almost flawless as well. My Galaxy Note 5 Android phone couldn't – or wouldn't – do anything when it came to reading or replying to text messages.

This is so puzzling because if I pressed the “Google voice” microphone button, and spoke an address, etc., the Android phone nailed it every time.

Audible Reminders

When I had my Android phone, if I said “Remind me when I get home to take out the trash,” I'd get nothing but silence when I returned home. Sure, I'd get a notification on my phone's screen, but that doesn't help me if I don't look at the phone. With the iPhone, I get a reminder sound, about 5 minutes after I return home.

The same thing happens with any other reminders I set up too. Again, why doesn't Android do that? The ability to have a sound remind me to do something helps me stay focused and get things done.

Apps Work Better

The apps for Android do work. very well Don't get me wrong. But, they seem to work better on the iPhone. One example is a garage door opener app I use. With Android, I'd only get a visual signal on the screen when the door opened or closed. With the iPhone, I get both a visual signal and it makes a sound too.

For security reasons, this comes in handy if I'm not home and the garage door is ever opened. My Fitbit app seems to be more user-friendly too. Another example is the Apple News app. It curates the news according to your likes and brings you topics that the major news outlet apps would not tell you. For example, what if you wanted to know the latest news on Bigfoot (the monster! – not the truck). Apple News will start showing you this information in your news feed!

To be fair, there is a Google News app. I've used it. It works well and will get the job done, but it's not as aesthetically pleasing to look at. I know to some, this sounds like I'm being picky. I agree. I am. Take this reason for what it is. The apps for the iPhone just seem to agree with me better.

So far the only app, that I feel works better on Android is True Caller, the anti-robocall/ spam caller app. It's seamlessly easy to add spam phone numbers to the True Caller app with Android. With iPhone though it's clunky and not intuitive. I've reached out to True Caller about this and they tell me this is because of what Apple dictates they do.

Either way, the Android version is much better. If you have an iPhone, I recommend switching from TrueCaller to Hiya app. Hiya works better than TrueCaller on the iPhone.

Battery Life

This is the NUMBER 1reason why iPhone is better than Android. I had a Samsung Galaxy Note 5, which had a huge battery. Yet, the battery would start draining almost as soon as I unplumbed the phone.

Less than 5 minutes after unplugging my Android phone and checking email etc, the battery would go down to 99%, 98%, and so on.

And, in case some are wondering, my screen brightness was right in the middle – not too bright or dim. I'm also OCD when it comes to closing apps after I use them. By the end of the day, the android phone would be almost dead. And I'm not a heavy phone user for the most part.

I always found it funny when watching the TV show “24” that they were all using Samsung phones. I'm sorry, but I don't believe for a moment Android phones would last all day the way they were used in that TV program.

I've even unplugged my iPhone 6S Plus at 9 PM and left it on a table all night and the battery is still 100% charged 10 hours later! And the phone remains at 100% charge for a significant amount of time (30 minutes or longer) after I start checking emails, news, etc.

How does the iPhone battery last so long? Is it because the apps play nicer together? Is it because the iPhone doesn't allow push notifications?

I don't know.

All I can say is the iPhone battery lasts at least 2x as long as Android batteries. If you are constantly able to plug your phone in to charge it, the battery life issue might not be significant for you. But, if you are going on a trip and are not able to recharge or have extra battery power, handy, then having a long battery life is definitely something to think about.

Things about iPhone I Don't Like

I'll be honest. There are some days I wish the iPhone was more like Android. A few things I wish the iPhone did better include:

The Apple Mail app is a little clunky (Outlook for iPhone works better for me).

Apple Photos seems to take its sweet old time to sync with Google Photos.

The keyboard keys don't vibrate when typing (I miss the haptic feedback on the Android keyboard).

As an aside, some people say they don't like the Apple Maps but I've used it and think it works just fine. I still prefer Google Maps though.

Is The iPhone Worth The Money?

At the end of the day, we are all different. I didn't write this to convince you but rather give you some things to think about if you are trying to decide between iPhone and Android – and can't get an honest review. I'm the first to say that my points are not the only things to consider. The reasons I listed for switching from Android to iPhone are what are important to me. How you use your phone may be different than how I use it. But, if you want the ability to text and drive and not touch your phone, the iPhone wins out.

So, am I going through a mid-life crisis by moving to the iPhone from Android? Maybe. It supposes it could be worse. I could've gotten a 25-year-old girlfriend, but that wouldn't work. She'd never listen to me as Siri does…

Hi Judy, yes pretty much. I still have the 6S Plus. The big reason is Siri. I use Siri every day. I’ve heard Android now has the Google Assistant but I have not had a chance to compare it to Siri. I like the Plus versions of the iPhone because they are a bit wider than Android phones which tend to be slimmer. That’s just a personal preference.

One thing I’ve noticed is the Bluetooth in my car doesn’t work as well with the iPhone as with android. That’s probably be because my car is older. I always have my phone go directly to speaker phone when I pick up so its not a deal breaker for me.

I have not had any problems with the iPhone except that it never wants to back up. That may be a setting that I’m not aware of. I keep meaning to go into the Apple store to check it out. Ive never updated the phone either. One reason is I heard Apple has done away with the battery percentage indicator which I like to see. Again that’s just a personal preference for me.

New i Phones no longer have a home button but that seems to be the trend with smart phones these days. I like my home bottom 🙂

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Credentials

Joe Cannon, MS has written for several publications including The Journal of Strength and Conditioning, Today's Dietitian, and Prevention. He's been quoted in the New York Times, lectured to NASA and has been a content consultant for Dateline NBC. He's the author of the first book ever published on rhabdomyolysis and exercise.
Joe Cannon, has a BS in Chemistry and Biology and a MS in Exercise Science. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and a personal trainer certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).